9th September

Rather out of the blue since the still blustery wind was firmly in the northwest and the conditions far from settled there was a small drop of new arrivals today - numbers remained far below what might be hoped at this stage of the autumn but after the last rather abject fortnight we'll happily take what's on offer.

Portland Bill
Migrants Grey Wagtail 29, Wheatear 25, Willow Warbler 25, Yellow Wagtail 12, Meadow Pipit 10s, Blackcap 5, Chiffchaff 5, Sedge Warbler 3, Dunlin 2, Tree Pipit 2, Garden Warbler 2, Spotted Flycatcher 2, with singles including Osprey 1s, Ringed Plover and Purple Sandpiper.
Sea passage Lesser Black-backed Gull 47s, Balearic Shearwater 4w 3e, Common Scoter 3e 1w, Manx Shearwater 1w, Arctic Skua 1w.

Ferrybridge 
Bar-tailed Godwit 5, Knot 2, Curlew Sandpiper 2, Little Stint 1.

Moths
Selected immigrants Obs: Rusty-dot Pearl 22, Turnip 8, Rush Veneer 6, Pearly Underwing, Scarce Bordered Straw 1, Silver Y 1.

These days our wintering Purple Sands often don't return until getting on for November so this weary pausing youngster - already the second this autumn - was a decent bird for this date...


...are the little white spikey plumes on the nape some sort of remnant of the downy first plumage? - we don't recollect noticing this on other juvenile calidrids at this time of year © Jeremy Palmer: